Villagers raise fund selling tobacco to buy PMV truck

TWO villagers from upstream Rumu River in Wampar, Huon Gulf purchased a truck by selling tobacco after MP Ross Seymour challenged them in 2014.
Seymour, at interior Fanzum Primary School, challenged the Mama-Bogeba people when opening the construction of roads in his first term from 2012-2017.
The Mama-Bogeba road was among several roads including Mafanazo-Tsiletsile (Lower Watut), Mubo-Hote-Yamap (interior Salamaua) and Wiwo-Pema (interior Waria) Morobe.
Fewe Kia, 60, and Sawo Fare, 34, from Mama village took the challenge and started selling tobacco at 40-Mile market.
And they raised K20,000.
The duo approached Seymour with what they had saved and the MP paid the rest for a new truck and presented it to them last weekend.
Fewe said though Seymour donated two PMV trucks Maunten Meri and Meri Irumu to service hinterland communities, the demand for transport was still high.
The hinterland villages comprise Mama, Sagutine, Imong, Ibum, Baka, Serebo, Dadira, Bogeba, Bibis and Mogaruf.
“We still need additional vehicles to enable people to bring their produce to markets, plus teachers and trade store owners for businesses,” Fewe said.
Fare raised concern over the deteriorating state of the road.
Seymour said the roads constructed during his first term would be maintained.
However, it was crucial that those isolated villages linked by the roads were able to access services.
“Importantly, when I link you with the road, you must appreciate, think and start utilising the road meaningfully by sustaining road surface and I will continue to improve the roads,” Seymour said.
He said new machinery to construct Salamaua-Hote-Yamap road would be delivered soon to begin the construction within six months. The district development authority will focus on the Lae-Salamaua-Morobe road next year.
“We will connect Lae-Salamaua-Morobe because some areas in Salamaua-Morobe have logging companies that have constructed the roads already and we will link with them.”